Jason’s POV
“He won’t stop crying Jason!... He’s going to make himself sick!” Alexandra tells me carrying a red faced Jared who has been crying since he woke up this morning. “Give him to me.” She hands him to me and he momentarily quiets down. “hey buddy… why are you crying? Daddy’s trying to work and I can’t do that with you on my lap”. I coo to him, sighing as I run my fingers through his hair. Things just haven’t been the same since the divorce. It’s only been two weeks and I’ve fought with Alex more times than I can count on my fingers. She just doesn’t do things like Skylar would. Jared has been put off by his mother’s disappearance and all she can think of is our marriage. I look down to find that Jared has fallen asleep and I take him to the nursery. When I’ve put him down I go downstairs intent in getting some coffee in my system when the doorbell rings. I’m faced with my parents on the other side of the door and I start panicking. They don’t know about the divorce. “Jason! My son! How are you? Where’s Sky?” my mom exclaims already making her way to the living room. My Dad claps me on the back and follows suit, both of them looking for Skylar, Sky as she is usually called. Just then the baby monitor alerts me of Jared crying and Alex brings him to me immediately. “Alexandra! I didn’t know you were visiting. How is work?” my Dad asks her still glancing at the stairs. “Dad Skylar’s not here.” I tell him, inwardly dreading the conversation that is about to follow. My mom grabs Jared from me and shushes him while my Dad looks like he’s been denied his favorite food. “Well where is she?...we came here to see her. I haven’t seen her since we got back from Australia and we brought some things for her.” My Dad says. My parents have always been fond of Skylar even while we were in college, so imagine how happy they were to have her as their daughter in-law. “Jason and Skylar just got divorced.” Alexandra announces like it was a normal occurrence. “What!... Why?... What happened?” My father asks, Mom is occupied with trying to calm a fussy Jared but the glare she sends in Alexandra’s direction doesn’t go unnoticed by me. They’ve never gotten along with each other. I briefly explain the details of our marriage and divorce and my relationship with Alexandra and I’m not even done when I feel a stung in my left cheek. “I can’t believe that the son I raised to be a gentleman will disappoint me like you have.” My mother tells me and I faintly register that I have been slapped. The tears I find in my mother’s eyes makes me feel like a monster. “I’m ashamed to even call you my son right now. You didn’t even consult us for this and you went ahead and took away everything from the poor girl. And for what?... Love?!!” My father exclaims staring at me with a look of disgust and I feel confused. “This girl will only being you to your doom, Jason! Can’t you see? She’s obsessed with you not in love!... This is not love!” Mom yells out completely ignoring Alexandra. Jared starts crying again and my Mom takes him up the stairs. When she comes down, she has a bag packed for Jared. “I’ll be taking my grandson with me. If you can’t fix this mistake of yours, don’t come see us. Let’s go honey.” Mom says before leaving with Jared, my Dad in tow. He doesn’t say anything to me. He just leaves. “You let your parents talk down on me like that, Jason, really?” At Alex’s words I explode. “They just walked away with my son and that is all you can think about?... I just broke my parents trust in me and you’re worried about yourself?” “They’ll come around. Plus they can hold the child away for so long. He has to come back to us in the future. It’s better this way even. They can raise him. We’ll get married and we can focus on our jobs without worrying about a child. We’ll be together love, hmm?” I’m stunned by the words she confidently says. “Can you hear yourself? Skylar will never have spoken like that if she were in your shoes!... Is this what you really are?!!... I can’t marry you if you think like that. I can’t believe you right now!” I all but shout. I leave the house and drive to Skylar’s parents place. She should be there. I’ll have her talk to my parents to send Jared back. When I get there I find her Mom outside. “Good day Mrs. Woods. Is Skylar home?” She looks at me confused for a second. Then she laughs. “I have no idea where that little disgrace is. I take it you guys divorced?” She turns to go inside but seems to hesitate at the door to the store. “I haven’t seen her since she informed is of the divorce.” Then she’s gone. I don’t even know where to start searching from. I need to at least confirm that she’s alright. At night, thoughts of here whereabouts flood my head and the next morning the first thing I do is to hire a private investigator to find her. His search let’s me know that after the divorce, she had withdrawn every penny she had in the bank. I don’t know if she’s in the city or not. I try to reach her through her email and social media but it seems she had disabled everything. Completely cutting off everybody. “Where the hell are you Skylar?” Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Skylar’s POV It’s been three months since I moved from New York City and started working for and leaving with Emilio. He’s a very interesting character. He acts like an old man sometimes and other times, I can’t tell who is younger, him or Valentina. Speaking of little Val, she spoke her first words in a long time, a week ago. Emilio was over the moon, he made her go around naming things and he wouldn’t stop calling me a miracle worker even after telling him that nothing special was done by me. Valentina is simply a young child and if put in the right environment, she could easily overcome her trauma. She rarely gets nightmares now and she very active in the house. This morning I had made breakfast for the father daughter duo. Emilio, I noticed, loves to cook his food himself. But he’s been busy with work and didn’t come home until late last night. Another thing Val seems to have improved in. Her separation anxiety seems to have reduced and you only need to promise get lots of times that you wouldn’t leave her and she’ll be okay. I walk up the stairs to Valentina’s room and open it to see her sprawled out on her bed. I hear Emilio chuckle behind me and I turn to give him a smile and a ‘good morning.’ “whoa!...Skylar did you eat a whale or something? You look huge!” “That’s not a nice thing to say Daddy. You just called Aunty Sky fat! Apologize!” Val says to her Dad, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. “I ignore Emilio’s words and go to help the little girl get out of the sheets she is tangled in. Deep down, I know what is going on with my body. I pretend to be oblivious but I can’t hide it much longer. “Are you okay?” Emilio asks. From the corner of my eyes I see him examining my face. I sigh and lead Valentina down the stairs. “I’m fine. I’m just pregnant.” “Oh! Okay then… wait what?! You’re joking right?” “Nope. I’m three months and a couple of weeks pregnant.” I say popping the ‘p’ “Aunty Sky, what’s pregnant?” Valentina asks me, her mouth full of eggs and bacon. “It means I have a baby in my tummy… don’t talk with your mouth full, sweetie.” “I don’t understand… how?” I’m tempted to laugh at Emilio’s face. “What do you mean how? You should know how babies are made considering the fact that you have one.” “No. I mean, when did you get pregnant?” I huff and pout, my appetite long gone at the reminder if how I got into this situation. I go to start explaining when Val pulls on my sleeve. “Did my daddy put the baby in your tummy? My teacher said he put me in my mum’s tummy.” I glance at Emilio to find him silently chocking on air. “No. Your dad didn’t put the baby in my tummy… someone else did. Now, go wash your hands and you can watch cartoons on the TV. She immediately goes to do as told, and I face Emilio. “So, I got divorced a day before I moved here…” I tell him everything from the very beginning and by the time I’m done he’s fuming. “This Jason guy is a jerk and he doesn’t deserve you. I promise to help you get back on your feet and raise this child. If you’d let me.” “Thank you, Emilio. I’m really grateful for your support.” “Don’t mention it. Have you been to the doctor?” “Yup. I went to confirm it a month ago.” He smiles and stands taking the dishes to the sink. “Well we’ve got to celebrate this. What do you say we go have dinner at a fancy restaurant tonight?” He sounds even more excited than I am and I smile and nod my head, agreeing to the outing. Emilio leaves for his home office shortly after that and I’m left at the table, thoughts of the child I was forced to leave behind, running through my head. That night, after I put Val to sleep, Emilio and I, sit on the couch, drinking some tea and having light conversation. Suddenly, he clears his throat and starts to fidget. “what is it?” I ask him, adjusting in my sit to face him. “Will you tell him?... You know about the baby?” He questions me. I just shrug and take a sip of my tea. “We’ll see.”“I don’t think it’s wise to send her to school this fast.” I mutter to Emilio. We were currently watching Val play in the backyard, occasionally having to play along with her, Although she mostly sought after her father claiming that she didn’t want to tire the baby ‘living in Aunt Sky’s belly’.“Why? She’s back to her normal self now. I want her to develop in time with her peers. Keeping her at home will only delay her… don’t you think?” He says. I don’t reply immediately, opting to walk towards Val and put her hair in a ponytail because it’s been getting in her eyes. When I sit back down I take a sip of my ginger tea before turning to face Emilio. “While I think that you have her best interests at heart, I must also present you with a psychological view as her therapist. She might withdraw if we rush her into society again. Let’s not forget her anxiety. I want her to leave all this behind too, but it’ll take time. She might be okay running off in the yard when it’s just us, but wha
New York City Jason’s POV I sit at the table, picking at the food in my plate. Alex sits across from me doing the same. We had another argument today about the way she invites people to my house. She claimed that she was free to do whatever she wanted and I happened to compare her stubbornness to Skylar’s mellow personality. She was furious after that and we yelled at each other a lot. I’m suddenly glad that Jared is not here to witness all this. I never argued like this with Skylar. If we disagreed on something, she would agree with me initially, then she’ll tell me the shortcomings of my decisions and we’ll find a compromise. Since she left my life has been a mess. The tabloids are going crazy over the reason for my sudden change in appearance, for worse. The more I sit here and think about everything, the more furious I get. I don’t even know who I’m mad at; myself, for deceiving Skylar, Alex, for convincing me to do all this, or Skylar, for letting me have my way. Part of me th
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Emilio’s POV The next few months pass quickly. Not much happens other than the fact that Skylar’s pregnancy almost took a turn for the worse after she had a slip on the stairs. The details of the incident is nothing but a blur in my mind, but I vividly remember the fear and horror on her face when I found her lying in a puddle of blood. The whole way to the hospital, I kept praying that I don’t get pulled over with the amount of traffic rules I disobeyed. I had to wait a few hours in the hospital before I could get news about her condition and then I remembered that Val was home alone. I had to call a friend to go get her from the house and about an hour after I got a call from him. Val had apparently woken up and saw the blood that I hadn’t cleaned or covered in my haste. Shed hurt herself in the midst of the panic attack she’d had and he was bringing her to the hospital to get checked for a concussion and the likes. Honestly, those were the most horrible fo
Chapter 9Jason’s POVI’m currently at a bar with a few of my friends. Alex has been keeping me on my toes consistently and I can’t find peace at home. My parents have refused to speak to me, even going as far as to order the security at their house to not let me in.I resorted to drinking out my frustrations. “So…what did she do this time, bro?” My friend, Max asks me, pouring another shot of whiskey in his and my empty glasses.I gulp the liquid down in seconds, relishing in the burn I feel in my throat. “Nothing really. I just have a hard time communicating with her these days. I think I’m in love with my ex wife guys… She’s been in my head weeks before our divorce even.”Tony belts out a laugh at my confession, although I don’t get what’s funny. “Jason, look… I think you’re just hanging onto the familiarity you have with Alex. I don’t think love existed between the both of you even before your marriage. Man, I still can’t believe that I never got to meet your wife… well.. ex
New York CityJason’s POVI’m startled by a knock on my door. “Come in.” I say in a monotone voice. My mom steps in, holding Jared’s hand. Over the years, my parents have relented. Letting me meet my son, although they refuse to let him anywhere near Alex. And yes, we’re still together. If I want to spend a night with Jared, I have to go over to my parents house, so I spend most days at their place. Our relationship has been strained and sometimes I feel like a failure of a sin and a father. My parents decided to raise Jared with the truth about his parents. Jared knows who his mother is, and why she can’t be with him. I think he resents me a little bit for chasing her away, although he doesn’t act or say anything that insinuates that.I immediately stand to greet my mom, with a peck to her cheek. Then I pick Jared up tossing him in the air. I relish in the sound of his innocent giggles. One of the only times he lets go around me.“To what do I owe this visit, your highnesses?” I
Skylar’s POVSo far, everything has been great. We spent a better part of the summer settling down and adapting to the busy life of the city. The holidays are over now and schools have reopened. Val started attending a new school three days ago and Lorenzo causeda scene at the gate when we dropped her off. I spent half an hour trying to pacify him, before I could leave. I was nervous about taking him out every time I had to run some errands, terrified of running into Jason, but just as Emilio said, the city is large and that, is highly unlikely.Emilio had some trouble with the design of their software, thus the wait before he unveiled the product to the public, but it’s been settled. He just called to inform me that he was bringing a new partner and investor home for dinner, to better get acquainted. I and my part time helper, Lorenzo, spent the day prepping dishes for dinner. I had decided on tomato puree and cheesy toasted bread for the starter course. Although, I had been cr
Jason’s POVI’m sitting in my car, staring at the closed door separating me from my ex- wife. I can’t believe that I’ve finally found her. Woods. No wonder she kept slipping through our hands. I had assumed that she’ll go back to being her adoptive parents name; Jones.When I stepped into the house, the first surprise was the young children that ran up to greet Reynolds. He never mentioned children in our conversation. Then again, we did ride here in separate cars and you can’t talk much that way. I envied him in that moment, though. I wanted a relationship like that with my son. Jared’s relationship with me was more of a military thing, where he waited on me to make the first move or gesture and stuff. Reynolds little boy striking replica of Jared, just with dimples and soft brown eyes. I was just about asking if he was actually Reynolds son when she walked in.My heart stopped beating for a moment, then it went into a frenzy. She looked even more beautiful than ever, walking do
The next morning, I’m not in a hurry to go to work. I decide to participate in getting Jared ready for school. I wake up to him, humming a random tune and playing with my hair.“Good morning buddy!” I greet him, earning a shy ‘morning Daddy!’ back. “Did you sleep good?’ I ask him, grabbing him and placing him on my lap. I lightly tickle him tummy, eliciting giggles from him. He takes a few over exaggerated breaths to calm down, before flashing his milk teeth at me and answering my question.“I slept the best, Dad! because you were here and mommy’s coming back!” he exclaims. Ah! How could I forget the events of the past hours.I give him a big smile. “Of course! Mommy’s gonna meet you soon, big guy!” I tell him trying as much as possible to match his enthusiasm this early in the morning. I swear, kids are the strangest creatures.I go to move him off my lap so we can get ready for the day ahead, however, the thinking look on his face stops me.“What’s running through that little h
It had been ten years since Jason’s death, and life had moved forward for everyone. Pietro and Skylar, married for nine years now, had another child in addition to Aurelia. Their lives, once marked by turmoil, were now filled with love and growth. Sophia, their eldest at 27, was a successful businesswoman recently engaged to the renowned doctor Lucian Kings. She rivalled the dominant men in her field with ease and confidence. Jared, now 17, was on the brink of graduating high school, having grown into a smart, handsome young man with a heart of gold. Lorenzo, at 13, was the family’s biggest troublemaker. Skylar and Pietro had lost count of the times they’d been called to his school due to his mischievous antics. Yet, beneath his rebellious exterior, Lorenzo was a sweetheart, and fiercely protective of his siblings. Aurelia, at nine— almost ten years old, was the princess of the house. An absolute daddy’s girl, she possessed a level of sass and confidence that often left everyon
The Edge of Redemption Jason had been drifting in and out of consciousness for days. His condition had gradually been improving, and the doctors were hopeful. One afternoon, he finally opened his eyes, groggy and disoriented. The room was dimly lit, the hum of the machines a constant reminder of his fragile state. As reality hit him, Jason felt a surge of panic. He remembered the chaos, the gunshot, the pain. He realized he was still alive, and in his frantic state, he started gasping for air, his breaths coming in short, rapid bursts. His right hand instinctively went to his chest, clawing at the stitches that held his wound together. He tried to lift his left hand too, but the realisation that he had been cuffed, added to his panic. The pain was excruciating, but the emotional torment was even worse. He had survived, and he couldn’t handle the reality of his situation. He didn’t want to live anymore. Why was he still alive? A nurse entered the room to check his vitals, her c
Initially, Skylar had thought it would take time for the children to get used to her attention being divided with the new baby, especially since her kidnapping. She was prepared for tantrums, jealousy, and all the difficulties that often come with a new sibling. However, it came as a shock and a relief when the children seemed to adapt seamlessly to the new routine.Skylar woke up early one morning to the soft cries of baby Aurelia. As she picked her up from the crib, she felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. They were home, safe, and together. Pietro was still asleep beside her, and she smiled as she watched him, knowing how hard he had worked to bring them to this point.Downstairs, the children were already awake and playing quietly. Sophia, was sitting at the kitchen table, sipping a cup of tea and reading a book. Jared, and Lorenzo, were building an elaborate Lego castle on the living room floor.Skylar walked in with Aurelia in her arms. “Good morning, everyone,” she said
James and Catherine Reynolds approached Pietro’s home with heavy hearts. Since her discharge , Skylar has moved in with him. Although, they had already seen her at the hospital, this was the first time they would be visiting her at home. The past few months had been a whirlwind of emotions, and now, standing at Skylar’s doorstep, they felt a profound sense of guilt and sorrow. They had always hoped for a better future for their son, Jason, but his actions had shattered their dreams.Skylar greeted them with a warm, albeit tired, smile. “Come in, please,” she said, stepping aside to let them enter. James and Catherine stepped inside, looking around the home that had once housed a sombre mood, but was now filled with an air of healing and resilience.“We’re so sorry, Skylar,” Catherine began, her voice trembling. “We can’t express how deeply we regret what Jason has done.”Skylar shook her head, leading them to the living room. “Please, sit down. You don’t need to apologize. I k
Skylar and Pietro finally had a moment alone, a brief respite from the whirlwind of emotions and visitors that had surrounded them since her rescue. The hospital room was quiet, with only the gentle beeping of monitors filling the space. Pietro pulled a chair close to Skylar’s bed, taking her hand in his.“I’m so sorry, Pietro,” Skylar began, her voice trembling. “I should have listened to everyone. I should have stayed inside and rested, especially knowing the danger I was in. But I didn’t, and look what happened.”Pietro shook his head, his eyes softening with love. “No, Skylar. You don’t need to apologize. What happened wasn’t your fault. Jason’s actions were unpredictable. The important thing is that you’re safe now.”Skylar looked down, tears pooling in her eyes. “But I feel so guilty. I put our baby at risk. I- I didn’t even know I was pregnant. And I wasn’t there for our family.”Pietro gently lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Skylar, stop. None of this is yo
After the initial shock of the entire situation, Pietro and Emilio began to process the reality that Skylar had been pregnant and had just given birth. The weight of this revelation hit them as they stood in the hospital nursery, staring at the tiny incubator where Skylar’s premature daughter was squirming around. Emilio approached Pietro, who was leaning against the glass, his eyes fixed on the little one. “She’s so tiny,” Emilio whispered, awe and sadness mingling in his voice.Pietro nodded, his gaze never leaving his daughter. “Yeah, she is. I can’t believe she went through all of this alone.”Emilio placed a comforting hand on Pietro’s shoulder. “None of us knew. If we had, we would have been there for her.”“I know,” Pietro said softly, his voice breaking. “I just wish I could’ve been there. I should’ve protected her.”“We all feel that way,” Emilio replied. “But right now, Skylar needs us to be strong for her and the baby.”Pietro turned to face his friend and hopefully,
When the police received Elena’s call and address, they immediately set out to arrest Jason. Detective Harrison, leading the operation, instructed Emilio and Pietro to stay inside the car while they attempted to communicate with Jason. The sirens blared, causing Jason to panic. His fear intensified as the police called out to him with their megaphone, ordering him to surrender. Pietro’s impatience got the best of him. Elena had informed the police that Jason was armed, but as time dragged on, Pietro’s worry for Skylar overwhelmed his caution. Ignoring Detective Harrison’s orders, he made his way into the house. The security alarm and locks had been disengaged by Elena, allowing Pietro easy entry. As he stepped into the living room, he was met with a horrifying sight. Elena and Skylar were covered in blood. Pietro’s heart sank, fearing the worst, until Skylar let out a groan. His eyes landed on the very obvious bump she was sporting. At the same time, her eyes found his, and Pietro
Skylar doubled over as another contraction rippled through her body. She had tried to keep calm, telling herself that these were just Braxton Hicks contractions. Her baby wasn’t due for another month, but the pain was increasing, and panic was setting in. She clutched her stomach, her breathing ragged. When Jason stormed into the house, Skylar’s pained groans stopped him in his tracks. He frowned, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. “What the hell is wrong with you?” he demanded. “I’m having contractions,” Skylar gasped. “I think the baby’s coming.” Jason’s suspicion deepened. “Nice try. You think I’m stupid? Trying to distract me while the cops get closer? You called them, didn’t you?” He grabbed a bag, shoving clothes and essentials into it. “We’re leaving.” “No, Jason, please! I’m not lying. The baby’s coming!” Her voice was frantic, tears streaming down her face. She completely disregarded the last of his words. “Shut up!” he barked, dragging her to the car. He threw the b
Skylar reclined on the worn-out couch in the small cabin, her hands gently resting on her swollen belly. Each kick, each flutter of her baby provided her with a glimmer of hope. Despite the dire circumstances, the signs of life within her reassured her that her child was still fighting, just as she was.Jason had become more attentive as her pregnancy progressed. His paranoia seemed to have ebbed, replaced by a strange kind of domesticity. He cooked for her, brought her water, and insisted she rest more often. It was a disconcerting shift, but Skylar took advantage of his softened demeanour to conserve her strength and protect her baby.One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, Skylar sat on the porch, gently rocking back and forth. Jason had gone into town to get supplies, leaving her alone for the first time in weeks. She closed her eyes, listening to the rustle of the leaves and the distant call of birds.A sharp kick jolted h